


Journey to the Distant Shore 11: Visit to the Home Port

by spookyawards_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-08-28
Updated: 2003-08-28
Packaged: 2019-04-27 06:38:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14419716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookyawards_archivist/pseuds/spookyawards_archivist
Summary: Mulder and Scully go back toScully's aoartment to seee her mother; Mulder does some research.





	Journey to the Distant Shore 11: Visit to the Home Port

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Spooky Awards](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Spooky_Awards), and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2018. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [SpookyAwards' collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/spookyawards/profile).

 

Visit to the Home Port, Part 11

## Visit to the Home Port, Part 11

### by Pattie

Title: Journey to the Distant Shore: Part 11/?: Visit to the Home Port.  
Author: Pattie  
Spoilers: Seasons 1 through 9, "The Truth".  
Summary: Scully and Mulder return for a brief time to Scully's apartment in Georgetown, where her mother, Maggie, has been apartment sitting. A girl still needs to see her mother, but as Scully is telling Mom of the duo's recent exploits, Mulder plans to use sometime to do something Scully told him NOT to do.  
Disclaimers: Mulder, Scully, William, Maggie Scully and the whole fandamly, fish included, belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and 20th Century Fox. No copyright infringement intended; no money made.  
Archive: Yes.  
Feedback: Welcome 

* * *

Dulles Airport, District of Columbia.  
Lariat Rental Cars.  
Second week on the run. 

Dana Scully tooik the rental slip and keys from the service counter and led Mulder to the two-door sedan which would take them to Georgetown. Specifically, they were about to return to Scully's apartment. "You drive, Mulder. I'm kind of.. I don't know... Nervous?" 

Mulder took the keys, opened the door for her, then loaded the trunkwith their bags. As he took the driver's side and intended to start the engine, he looked to see if Scully was all right. "You okay? You know, we don't need to see your mother at your place if you don't want to. Want to meet her somewhere?" 

"I think I'll feel better once I go through the door. Maybe it's just irrational to dread going home." She feigned a weak smile, but there was definitely despair in her mind, and Mulder sensed it. 

He took one of those deep breaths he lets out by blowing. "I thinkit's natural to dread going back to the place where you were raising a baby and then things changed. Be genuine. It's a healthy thing to feel, Scully." 

They were off to Georgetown with a turn of the ignition key, butScully's mind was on other things. The first day home with William,the tender feelings she experienced as she nursed him, the long nights wondering when Mulder would be back. What irked her was not so much the memory of the man who had so many of Mulder's genetic traits, but what had been done to Jeffrey Spender by their father. Mulder's brother had been shot, then had his face disfigured for life-- all for the sake of this invasion and colonization. Then, there was the time she said "Good-bye" to Mulder as he left for parts to be unknown to anyone. That was a most painful memory. His final kiss was all that kept her from passing out that day. She was just going over the news of Mulder's verdict and death sentence for killing,supposedly killing, John Doggett's friend in the Marines, when Mulder pulled her out of her morose reverie. 

He gently patted her arm. "Scully, I asked if you wanted a coffee." They were parked at a Krispy Kreme's. "You're way too pale. What's wrong?" 

"Oh, just old history , that's all. Maybe I need a donut. Get me something really gooey. I guess I need the sugar rush." When Mulder just stood there staring at her, she went with the standard line she'd always used before: countless places, countless cases. "I'm fine. Really. Maybe a little tired, but fine. Stop examining me." 

"Think about last night, instead," he advised her. "That really put a smile on your face!" As he went into the store, he turned to make sure that Scully was not wallowing in misery. "Smile," he muttered. "Just for me." 

Instead of bringing their orders to the car, he left them at a little corner table in the store and retrieved Scully from the car. "Time to get distracted. You're with a handsome man, you're going to watch all those young women envying you, and you're going to listen to the chatter of real people in public. We've coccooned for too long. Soak up the atmosphere and clear the cobwebs out of your head. Remember, I swore not to let you be miserable again. Heck, I even got your coffee right this time." 

"Miracles happen," she begrudgingly admitted, showing a little smile. "Let's go in and soak up some atmosphere." 

A half-hour later, Mulder pulled the car into a spot on the street he thought of as Scully Street. He sat there and let Scully remain still and silent for a few moments. "I bet she's surprised to see us, AND wearing something old and raggedy," he teased her. 

"I bet not." 

"You're on. Loser orders pizza AND pays for it. I know what I claim to know because we didn't tell her we were coming." 

"No," Scully argued in her old, familiar way. "My Mom always manages to look her best, and she has a sixth sense when it comes to Scully kids, and DAMMIT! You made me feel better!" She gave Mulder a nouggie. "Let's just see what she's wearing." 

As they closed the car doors, misty rain began to surround them. Scully was buzzing her own apartment. What a rather strange thing to be doing, she was   
thinking. 

"Yes?" 

"It's me, Mom. It's Dana and I've brought Mulder." 

"Okay," a cheerful Maggie replied. "I'll unlock the door. Come right up!" There was no surprised note in her voice. 

"Pizza! Yes!" Mulder declared. 

"Halvzies if she's in old raggedy stuff." 

As Scully opened the dor to her apartment, there was her mother in faded blue jeans, a threadbare plaid shirt with a button missing, not to mention a few holes, and an exhausted expression on her face. She put her feet on the coffee table as she relaxed on the sofa. "Well, what took you so long?" 

Sculy tearfully laughed and ran to her mother, giving her a long hug. "Oh Mom, I have so much to tell you. I've missed you so much, and I'm fine, WE'RE fine..." 

"Honey, it's okay. It's okay! I've been cleaning today, but I want you two to sit right down and relax." 

Mulder caught Scully's eye and winked. "Pizza," he whispered. "Halvzies..." He sat beside Scully. " It's good to see you again, Maggie." 

"So, you're okay, then? I've been praying so much for both of you,and little William." Maggie went from a smile to sadness in seconds. 

"We're fine, and there's no reason to think we're in any danger," Mulder insisted. "I think I'll go down and get the bags, then I need to run a personal errand. You going to be okay, Scully?" 

She seemed puzzled, and nodded her head. If he needed to get something, he needed to get something. "You do whatever you need to do while I catch up with Mom." She smiled, kissed him reassuringly, and stood taking his hands in hers. "I know I have a few things I've missed around here. Look, your fish look great!" 

He checked them out briefly. "So they do. I'll bring up our thingsup and be on my way. I shouldn't take long. Maggie-- don't cook. We're arranging dinner." 

"It'd be no bother, and I love to..." 

"No, Mom. Our treat. Besides, what are daughters for?" 

* * *

J. Edgar Hoover Building,  
Washington, D.C.  
Assistant Director Skinner's Office.  
5:59 pm. 

"Thank you for meeting me on such short notice, Sir." Fox Mulder took a seat in the chair that had become so familiar to him over the years. The seat in front of his boss's desk. Memories... 

"You know we're both taking a risk meeting here," Skinner warned."On the other hand, they could be tailing me every time I leavethe building. How are the two of you?" 

"I've dealt with most of my demons, so we didn't call in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's day by day, I guess. Scully was so happy to see me. But we both know she's on an emotional down-slide. She hardly eats, her nightmares could rock a small town, and there's a glazed look in her eyes when she thinks no one is looking. Her face is paler than pale. So, where do we get started?" 

Skinner took his glasses off and rubbed the space between his eyebrows."She made me promise not to do this." 

"I think she's changed her mind. Let's just say she's willing to start right away and would likely kill for the chance to get this underway as soon as possible. I know you saw what it did to her, and I know you care enough to help us." Mulder knew his former boss very well. "I already have some documents. What do you have?" 

Skinner unlocked a seldom used drawer in his desk, reached underneath and removed an envelope that had been taped to the bottom of it. "The agency, the forms, the adoptive family approval, backgrounds, addresses, all safely held until she admitted to herself she was committing emotional suicide for both of you. I told her you have a right to have a say, that you were close to the truth. She wanted him 'safe' where the aliens couldn't get him. She wouldn't believe Spender had actually saved him from that." 

Mulder was flipping pages. "And how's that?" 

"I think you should ask Scully that. It's not my place." 

"No, as a friend it IS your place. If I ask her about that, she may go right over the edge or right into herself, withdrawing from everyone and everything. None of us can risk that, Walter. That's another way "they" win. So what did Jeffrey do to save William?" 

"William was injected with a substance that raised the levels of iron in his blood. From then on, he seemed quite well. No damage done. It had something to do with some special telekinetic powers he was developing. They disappeared, but Jeffrey still advised her to give him to people who could keep him safe, in a place they'd never look. Where IS Scully anyway?" 

"At her apartment. We're staying there with her mother for the night. No one's watching. They don't fear us! They feel they have control." 

"Then I needn't remind you to be careful anyway. Life can be awfully short, Mulder." 

"That says a lot and thanks, Sir." There was an awkward silence between the two men who had become quite close over the years, at thetrial, and over the birth of William. "I'd...I'd better get going. Tell Doggett and Reyes we were in town after we leave. It's time I acted like a man and protected the ones I love instead of chasing ghosts. Say how grateful we are to them for all they've done for us." 

Skinner nodded. "Give my regards to Scully. Oh, and Mulder?" 

He was about to exit the office but spun around: "Yes Sir?" 

"Thanks for the tip. I won the office pool." 

"My pleasure. In more ways than you know." Mulder smiled at his old friend and left him to his unfinished forms, 

As he carefully, vigillantly made his way through the building, Mulder thought how lucky a man he was. If only Eddie van Blundht could see him now. He wasn't a loser, Scully told him. She'd do it all over with him. She believed in him. Now, he would make her feel better, instead of the old way it had always been. It was her turn to be taken care of. He would see to that as quickly as possible. To see Scully smile and genuinely feel happy, he thought, is priceless. 

* * *

Pattie. 

Dedicated to the Grammar Squad at you know where.   
  


#### If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to Pattie


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